Why Do I Have Anxiety? A Guide for Women

For the women who live with an anxiety disorder, the first question they often ask is, “Why me? Why now? And why does this feel so overwhelming?” Yet, what often goes unrecognized is that anxiety disorders are real medical conditions—just as valid as physical health issues like endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). While pinpointing an exact cause isn’t always simple, understanding the factors behind anxiety can be an important step in finding the right path to treatment.

Anxiety is a widespread global concern, affecting an estimated 301 million people, with women experiencing it at significantly higher rates than men (WHO). In the U.S. alone, nearly a quarter of women—23.4%—are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder each year, compared to 14.3% of men (NIMH). A similar pattern appears in the U.K., where 37.1% of women reported high levels of anxiety in 2022/23 (Mental Health Foundation). Recognizing anxiety as a common yet serious medical condition can help reduce stigma and encourage more women to seek the support they deserve.

What Is Anxiety?

When we talk about feeling anxious, we often describe the worry, unease, or dread that accompanies major life events and changes. For example, you might experience anxiety before a job performance review or while waiting for test results from your doctor. This everyday anxiety is a normal part of life. In fact, experts have even made the case that feeling anxious sometimes is good for you.

Anxiety can also come in a much more persistent and debilitating form. If you regularly experience anxious feelings that seem to happen for no reason, are difficult or impossible to control, or interfere with your daily routine, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

Quiz: Am I Experiencing Everyday Anxiety or an Anxiety Disorder?

Why Does Anxiety Happen In Our Brains?

Experiencing anxiety is uncomfortable and frustrating. In the moment, it might feel like your brain is actively working against you. But anxiety is actually a very useful biological process— one that has served us well throughout history.

Historically, fear is what kept your ancestors safe from dangers like predators, poisonous berries, and fire. People with stronger anxious tendencies were better at avoiding threats. This made them more likely to survive long enough to pass their genes down to the next generation, slowly shaping the brain that works to keep you out of harm’s way today. Without anxiety, you likely wouldn’t exist.

Our biology also lends clues as to why women are more likely to have an anxiety disorder. Estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that regulate your cycle, can fire off the part of the brain that cues fight-or-flight responses. Changes to your body during and after pregnancy have further potential to affect your mental health; one in five new mothers report facing anxiety disorders like postpartum OCD and childbirth-related PTSD.

Anxiety Disorder Risk Factors

It can be hard to understand why anxiety happens to some people and not others. Ultimately, anxiety disorders can affect anyone, and there might not always be a clear reason why. With that said, certain biological and environmental factors can increase the likelihood for someone to develop anxiety within their lifetime.

• Age: The first symptoms of an anxiety disorder tend to appear in younger people.
• Sex: Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with anxiety.
• Brain anatomy: Studies have shown various structural and chemical differences in the brains of people who struggle with anxiety.
• Family history: You may be more prone to developing anxiety if you have a parent or close relative with a similar disorder.
• Life experiences: Traumatic events are often linked to the onset of anxiety disorders.
• Sleep habits: Lack of sleep can destabilize the part of your brain that regulates fear responses.